Menagerie Comes Calling

Main Haven Building: Several Minutes Ago

'He's gone,' thought Jaune as he forced himself to look away from the entrance to the vault. 'What is he thinking? He has to know he can't take all three of them, even with that frightening power of his.' The blond knight looked down at Weiss, keeping pressure on the heiress's wound where he'd bandaged her up. 'She'll survive if she's strong,' that's what Wayne said, but why would he say something like that? Is that why he went down alone, he didn't think any of us were strong enough to fight by his side anymore?' All he knew for sure was, the Wayne that descended into the vault was not the Wayne he knew. And even worse, if he did miraculously survive, would it be that Wayne that emerged instead of his friend?

Ren had been examining Weiss's condition while Oscar, Qrow, and Yang fought against their remaining enemies. Nora was busy watching over an unconscious Ruby. "Is there anything we can do?" Asked Jaune, trying to keep the panic out of his voice.

"I'm not sure," Replied Ren, "Her wound is bandaged but her breathing is getting weaker."

"Why is this happening again?" Questioned Jaune, struggling to keep the tears out of his eyes, "After everything we went through to get this far. It can't end like this, it CAN'T!" Jaune felt like he was gonna break apart inside as he said this. Then he noticed something was happening. A strange glow which was rippling like water suddenly emerged from his hands, wrapping around Weiss's figure like a cocoon. In the next few moments, Weiss gasped for air as her breathing began returning to normal.

'What's going on,' thought Jaune as Weiss's wound began closing, 'am I doing this?' Power seemed to be flowing from him into his friend, amplifying her aura. 'I don't know how,' thought Jaune, 'but this is healing her, and that means we might still have a chance!'

Outside Main Haven Building: Now

'I knew this would be a mess,' thought Aegis as he peered at the scene before him from a nearby roof top, 'but that is a lot of White Fang.' His scroll buzzed then as a call from Blake came in. "How's the scouting going," Asked Blake over Aegis's scroll.

"I found the White Fang," replied Aegis, "They're at the center of the academy courtyards. I should also mention that both Adam and Exo are here. The soldiers are exchanging fire with May and Exo's duking it out with Drake, so you'd best get over her before Adam decides to-GAAAAH!" Aegis's sentence was cut off as part of the window he was next to exploded from a shotgun blast.

Aegis tried to run back up the roof, but another shotgun blast caused the tiles underneath him to shatter and slide off. The half bear Faunus lost his footing and fell off the roof before righting himself in midair and landing in a half-kneeling position. "Aegis, what's happening," Asked Blake, hearing the commotion over the scroll.

"Well, well, well," Said Adam as he and a couple of White Fang soldiers approached with their weapons trained on him, "I was wondering where the second Ursario brother was." Aegis simply narrowed his eyes as he spoke into his scroll.

"Blake, I'm gonna be held up, so get everyone moving," Said Aegis as he drew his weapon from his back and stood up straight.

"Understood," replied Blake before ending the call on her end. Aegis returned his scroll to his pocket as he took a fighting stance.

"I heard you were last in Menagerie," Said Adam as he stepped closer, "Tell me, did you happen to bring my beloved Blake along with you?"

"What I brought," Said Aegis as he spun the cylinder on his weapon, "Is a world of pain for you and anyone else looking to attack Haven." The two soldiers by Adam tensed up as they moved closer, but were stopped when the White Fang leader held his hand up.

"It's unfortunate you've decided to be difficult," Said Adam as he converted his gun back to a sheath and put his sword away. "I might've been merciful had you brought her here, even despite your meddling and unfortunate heritage."

"Well at least one of us would've had mercy, because you owe my friend Yang an arm," Said Aegis as he formed flaming ax blades. "So I'm gonna take both of yours!" Adam simply smirked as he readied his hand to draw his sword, while Aegis charged forward with his weapon held high. But right before he got within range, Aegis slammed his weapon on the ground in front of him, causing a small explosion. A surprised Adam swiftly drew his sword, using his slash attack to blow the blast away.

Aegis used the distraction to form a black glass sword as he attempted to impale Adam in the chest. But the White Fang leader just managed to move out of the way in time as he countered with a slash at Aegis's head. The bear-eared fighter raised his weapon and knocked Adam's blade away before returning with a strike of his own. The two exchanged several more sword strokes, causing sparks to fly as hardened glass met red metal again and again.

At one point, Aegis attempted to strike with a glass covered fist at Adam's torso. But his opponent was nimble and spun out of the way, shifting his sheath to shotgun form in one smooth motion. Aegis blocked the blasts from the weapon with his glass fist, his aura taking care of any stray pellets. Adam stopped firing then as he saw the shells were ineffective, while Aegis shook the now shattered glass off of his hand, before clenching his fist a couple of times.

"Exo was right about you," Said Adam as he took a different fighting stance with his sword pointing at Aegis, "You're not someone to take lightly."

"Yeah, people usually figure that out after I put my foot up their ##%," Said Aegis as he readied his own weapon. Adam smirked again as the two fighters charged once more.

At the same time, Drake and Exo exchanged blows of their own as they moved in and out of the black mist Drake continually created. "So what happened to your partner?" Asked Drake as he pushed Exo back with a series of high and low slashes, "Or is Neo in there with everyone else?"

"'Fraid not," replied Exo as he countered with a horizontal strike which he led into a downward diagonal strike, which Drake blocked. "I don't know what Wayne Ursario said to her, but she went back to Vale for a bit." Drake and Exo broke their lock as they exchanged a few more blows, "Something about paying her respects to Torchwick."

"Too bad," Said Drake as he managed to get a kick in under Exo's guard, "You'd probably do better with her help right now." Exo answered by tossing a pair of throwing knives, which Drake deflected, before Exo appeared on his left and swung. Drake blocked the first couple of blows but was butted in the face by Exo hitting him with the handle of his sword. Drake quickly reacted by generating his black mist and retreating into it.

"Neo was along for the ride," Said Exo, "I'm more than enough to take your head!" Exo leapt into the mist as he finished his statement. In the next instant, the mist was lit up with the sparks of clashing weapons.

Back in the courtyard, Aegis and Adam were still exchanging blows, but the battle was leaning more and more in one's favor than the other now. Aegis could block a majority of Adam's attacks if he went full on defensive, but the moment he went to offense, his Faunus opponent would use his superior speed to jab at a weak spot in his attack. He'd already taken a few slight hits to his left leg and right arm. 'The sword gives me a lot more speed,' Aegis thought as he deflected and countered another blow, 'But I don't have the experience with it that I do the ax.'

His thoughts were confirmed when Adam managed to duck to the side of one of his blows and cut him on his right hand. The half-Faunus grit his teeth as he swung his sword low. But this time, he let the glass shatter when Adam blocked it. His surprised opponent raised his arm instinctively as he backed away from the shattering weapon, allowing Aegis to knock his weapon aside and kick him back a few feet. Taking the opening, Aegis formed a glass spear and jabbed at Adam's head. But Adam spun to the right and managed to slash Aegis's side in the process.

Aegis grunted in pain as he swung the back end of his weapon at his opponent. Adam blocked the blow with his fore arm, but was still pushed back by the force of the blow. 'It's good this isn't a contest of physical strength alone,' thought Adam as he dodged another few jabs from his opponent's spear, 'I'm clearly outclassed there, however.' He dodged around another strike and aimed a blow straight at Aegis's face.

Aegis moved his head just in time, feeling the sharp blade nearly cut his cheek. Adam turned the blade then and attempted to slash his neck. Aegis ducked low, feeling some of the hair sliced off of his ears as he stabbed back with his spear. His opponent dodged to the side, blasting the glass spear point apart with his shotgun.

Aegis blocked his next slash as he quickly spun the cylinder on his weapon, forming a stone halberd. The two fighters exchanged several more blows, this time with Aegis keeping his distance. Adam responded by slashing and blasting Aegis's weapon, wearing away the stone fragment by fragment. 'Alright, try this!' thought Aegis as he spun his cylinder again, this time forming a white, glowing naginata blade.

Adam was pushed back by the renewed ferocity of Aegis's blows as he alternated between high and low attacks. But in spite of having his guard nearly beaten down, he started smirking. The reason for which became obvious when he sheathed his blade, then partially unsheathed it to block a deadly vertical strike. The force of the blow should've forced the White Fang leader almost down to his knees, but instead the glowing blade faded as the force from the attack was absorbed into Adam's blade. Adam's hair and clothes also gave off a dull red glow as he batted away Aegis's now bladeless weapon.

'Crap,' thought Aegis, 'I'd heard Drake mention something about Adam absorbing kinetic energy. But I didn't know he could absorb an energy dust attack along with it.' "You've most certainly proven an amusing challenge Aegis Ursario," Said Adam as he took his stance and readied to draw his blade, "But I'm afraid I have a promise to keep to Blake. So you'll be the next example for her."

Aegis simply growled in response as he spun the cylinder on his weapon again, generating one of his largest ax blades yet. Adam simply smiled as he shot forward, unleashing his semblance with the drawing of his blade. Aegis swung his weapon, managing to intercept the attack with his own blade. But the stored energy of Adam's slash was too strong as it cut through the ice blade and into Aegis's body. The attack ended with Adam behind Aegis as the latter collapsed to his knees with blood flowing from an open wound.

"I'm impressed with your weapon constructs," Said Adam as he sheathed his sword and casually walked to his kneeling opponent's left side. "Ordinarily that amount of power in my slash would slice any other enemy in half, not that it does you much good now." Aegis didn't respond as Adam came within striking distance to draw his weapon. "But since you survived this long, I'll let you in on a little secret. You see I'm not going to kill Blake when I find her, but I am going to take the lives of every member of her family and friends, starting with you!"

Adam drew his sword then, but was surprised when the blade stopped short of Aegis's head. "What," Adam thought aloud as he noticed that Aegis's glass covered hand had blocked the blow. It was then that he saw it, a layer of crumpling glass where Aegis had been slashed and the red-colored eyes of an enraged beast looking at him. Aegis used this moment of shock to point his weapon, which had been switched to fire dust, at Adam's right knee and unload an explosive blast at point blank. "AAAAAAArgh!" Adam yelled as the bones in his knee cracked from the force of the blast.

Aegis then shoved Adam's blade aside as he formed spiked knuckles on the glass glove before slugging Taurus in the face. The sound of Adam's mask cracking accompanied with shattering glass filled the courtyard as the White Fang's leader was sent sliding several feet away. A number of the White Fang soldiers went to help Adam back to his feet as a couple others pointed their weapons at Aegis. "Stay back!" Taurus ordered as he staggered back to his feet.

Aegis started to growl then as he spun his weapon cylinder to earth, allowing him to form a spiked, glass club. "The Faunus rage mode," said Adam as he felt the cracks in his mask, "It's even stronger than Exo described. It's no wonder you survived an assault from so many of our troops."

"You still owe me some limbs," Growled Aegis, baring his teeth as he readied himself to charge forward. Adam did the same when they were both interrupted by a massive crash. Both of them looked over towards the main Haven building as a large man in a torn green shirt and brown pants came busting through the doorway. The commotion was also noticed by the two fighters on the roof tops as Drake and Exo halted their battle temporarily.

"What was that you were saying about your bosses killing my friends?" Said Drake as they watched the large man stagger to his feet. Exo was about to answer back when another surprise caught their attention.

"Adam!" called a female voice as Blake emerged from the shadows on a nearby roof top, "Call your soldiers off, now!" The rest of the White Fang soldiers turned in surprise as Adam stood speechless for a moment. It didn't last long as the soldiers leveled their rifles up towards Blake, but were stopped by Adam raising his hand.

"After all the trouble I went through to find you," Said Adam to Blake with a laugh, "And in the end you come to me of your own free will."

"This can end peacefully," Said Blake, now speaking to all the White Fang, "There is a better way for the Faunus here."

"Once again Blake, you're wrong," Said Adam as he spread his arms out. "This is the only path for the Faunus, and you and another one of your meager friends won't stop us." Despite being in his rage mode, Aegis couldn't help but smile at that statement.

"You're right," Said Blake, "If it was just me and Aegis, we couldn't stop you."

"But it's not just them," Said Sun as he and a large group of Faunus emerged from behind the buildings, wielding shields and shock poles. Ghira Belladonna emerged from the other side, leading another mass of armed Faunus citizens. The White Fang soldiers raised their weapons nervously, not entirely sure what to do.

"Stand strong my brothers and sisters," Said Adam, "We have not come this far to be stopped by-." His statement was interrupted by a loud pinging noise as a number of searchlights were suddenly sweeping the area, signaling the arrival of several Mistral airships. As the side doors opened, it was revealed to be the Mistral Police Department, with Kali, the one who'd alerted them in the first place, riding along with them.

In another part of the buildings, White Fang soldiers who'd been chasing May were stopped by the sound of the police's arrival. Then one of them fell as they were struck by an electrified whip. May took the opening as she ran forward and knocked a few down with the ax end of her rifle. The electrified whip struck a couple more troopers as May's mysterious help, a chameleon Fauns girl, emerged from the shadows. "Ordinarily I'd have a lot of questions about a stranger helping me out," Said May as she downed one last soldier, "But for the moment, just tell me who you are?"

The chameleon girl simply smiled as she held out her hand. "My name is Ilia, and you must be May. Aegis mentioned you might be here."

"Aegis huh," Said May as she shook Ilia's hand, "Would you happen to know where he is?"

"He's fighting the White Fang with the others from Menagerie," Said Ilia, "We've come to stop the attack on Haven." May nodded her head at that statement when a thought struck her.

"Oh no, I nearly forgot," Said May with a hand on her head, "I tried to stop them but the White Fang managed to set up a bunch of explosives!"

Back at the main battle, Adam was seething. "How could you accomplish something like this?!" Questioned Adam, who was now a mix of anger and nervousness.

"Your attack on Haven is over Adam," Said Blake as she dropped down from the roof, "All of this is over now."

"You're right," Said Adam as he pulled a detonator from his belt, "This is the end, for all of us." All of the White Fang soldiers backed up in shock, fairly certain that their leader had lost his mind as he pressed the switch on the detonator. But the explosion never came.

"Oh, those explosives won't be a problem," Said Ilia as she pulled a large number of wires out of her pocket, "I kind of disarmed them all." May let out a sigh of relief, one which was shared by numerous others back at the courtyard.

"Hazel," Called Adam, worry now plain on his face, even despite the cracked mask, "I require your assistance."

"This is your little problem," Said Hazel as he dusted himself off, "Not mine. So you're the one who has to fix it."

"I disagree," Said Aegis, his rage mode still on as he stepped towards Hazel, "You're in on this attack too. So don't think you can just walk out of here!" The large man responded by pulling red dust crystals out of the pouches on his belt and sticking them in his arms to go along with the orange ones already there. Adam also took this as his cue to attack as he rushed at Blake.

But the injury to his leg from Aegis slowed him down greatly, causing him to miss Blake with his draw as she leapt over his blade, leaving a shadow behind. Things seemed to happen in slow motion then. As the copy faded, Blake drew her sword from her back in midair and slashed Adam's sword arm. The White Fang leader shouted in pain as he dropped his sword and fell to one knee, holding his right arm where Blake's blade had cut him.

"DESTROY THEM ALL!" Adam yelled. The hesitation the White Fang troops had earlier was gone then as they started firing at the Faunus surrounding them. The Menagerie Faunus charged then, as Ilia, and May joined the battle, while Sun leapt in to fight Adam. Hazel, meanwhile stood ready to fight Aegis. But as he was about to charge, Aegis noticed something, and smiled.

Hazel was confused only for a moment when a large, ethereal stinger shot through the side of his stomach. Had it not been for his semblance to block out pain, he would've been yelling in agony. But the stinger kept him from moving as Aegis charged in, forming a stone hammer which he used to knock his surprised enemy back into the main Haven building. Aegis moved into the building after him, accompanied by Blake to get a look at the situation.

It was hard to tell how the fight had gone up to this point. But they both recognized Emerald and Mercury, who appeared to be working with a lion Faunus using some kind of shield weapon and the man known as Hazel. As for their friends, they were in varying states of wellness.

An ethereal queen lancer floated above Weiss, who had a bloody hole in her outfit, but otherwise looked just fine. Qrow and a boy with Ozpin's cane who neither had seen before were on their knees panting, while Nora and Jaune were looking after an injured Ren. Ruby was still on her feet, fighting alongside Yang. Or they had been until everyone looked and saw the newcomers.

"You're, all here," Said Blake, just as surprised to see her old team as they were to see her.

"Hey guys," Said Aegis as he reverted back to normal for a second and rested his weapon on his shoulder, "What'd we miss?" Ruby got over her shock first and turned to Yang.

"Go for it!" Ordered Ruby, pointing at the entrance to the vault. Yang didn't need any encouragement as she raced towards it. Emerald lunged at her, barely missing as Mercury closed in on Yang's right side. But just as his fingers closed around her arm, a shard of glass from Aegis shaped like a spike struck him in the side of the head, causing him to stumble as he released his grip on Yang's arm.

Taking the opening, Yang jumped down into the vault entrance. As Mercury and Emerald tried to follow, a large wall of ice rose up, courtesy of Weiss, to block their path. As they turned back to face everyone else, Blake noticed that Sun was having a little trouble against Adam. "I got this," Said Aegis as he stepped forward, "You go help our mutual monkey friend back there." Blake hesitated for a moment, but after a nod from Ruby, she rushed back into the courtyard.

"Alright," Said Aegis as he stepped forward, forming his classic glass ax. Hazel was getting to his feet then, but Aegis ignored him for the moment as he pointed his weapon at Emerald. "You, mint hair, I got a question for ya," He said as his eyes once again took on the characteristic appearance of the Faunus rage mode, "Where's my brother?!"

The tide of battle has turned with the arrival of Blake, Sun, Aegis and a whole lot of Faunus. Now all that remains is for someone to obtain the relic that lies within the vault, but who? Also, a bit of an apology for the unusual updating trend as of late, but I've been experiencing some difficulties with the website. But with luck, things are working a bit better now. So once again, I'd like to thank you all for your patience, and I hope you've been enjoying the story so far as we near the end of this volume. Be sure to stop in next time as the vault of the spring maiden is finally opened. 'Til next time.